Every week, we ask a selected group of our baseball writers — local and national — to rank the teams from first to worst. Here are the collective results.
The baseball calendar has moved through “Silly Small Sample Size Season” through “Too Early To Really Know.” We’ve passed now through “Memorial Day-Not Too Early to Know” and are now firmly in “Early All-Star Talk,” with “Trade Deadline,” “Pennant Race” and “October” still yet to come. (Ironically, the real All-Star Game lands during “Trade Deadline” — you can thank the Roman Empire for that one.)
This week, we’ve done our best to make the case for one deserving All-Star per team. In some cases, that means eschewing the obvious and spotlighting a lesser-known player who deserves a bit of shine. In other cases (looking at you, Royals), it was a matter of realizing that anyone but the obvious guy wouldn’t be a good-faith argument. On to the rosters!
All stats through Monday morning unless noted.
Record: 45-21
Last Power Ranking: 2
The case for: UT Mauricio Dubón
The Braves are loaded with All-Star Game shoo-ins. Matt Olson should be the NL starter at first base, and Drake Baldwin deserves a spot if he’s healthy — probably as the starting catcher. Michael Harris II could be a reserve outfielder, both Chris Sale and Bryce Elder are in the mix for the pitching staff, and don’t sleep on Raisel Iglesias in the bullpen. But, we’ll make the case for Dubón, who’s filled gaps at shortstop, left field and center field, and despite moving around, ranks top-10 in the majors in Outs Above Average while also putting up above-average offensive numbers. Probably won’t be voted in as a starter or a reserve, but he could be an interesting injury replacement. You just know those Philadelphia fans are going to want to see as many Braves players as possible! — Chad Jennings
Record: 42-24
Last Power Ranking: 1
The case for: SP/DH Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani has a 0.74 ERA (?!?) and is leading the NL in OBP and OPS. Again, that’s one person doing both of those things, which seems hard to do. Yes, he will be at the All-Star Game. Yes, he’ll be at the next one and the next one, too. Eventually, he’ll throw out the pitch of the Shohei Ohtani All-Star Invitational, which will be the new name of the All-Star Game when they run out of awards for him.
Also, Andy Pages will make the team, considering he’s leading the league in WAR and RBI. Congrats to the Dodgers for finally catching a break and developing a young star. It’s been some lean years for them. — Grant Brisbee
Record: 41-23
Last Power Ranking: 4
The case for: SP Kyle Harrison
Look, nobody needs to make the case for Jacob Misiorowski or second baseman Brice Turang. Both of those guys should be locks.
But going into Monday’s start against the A’s (this was written before the game, so fingers crossed he doesn’t make me look bad), Harrison hadn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his 11 starts. From the first of May on, Harrison had an ERA of 1.07 in six starts — and the Brewers won all six games.
After being traded twice (once from San Francisco to Boston for Rafael Devers, then to Milwaukee for Caleb Durbin), Harrison has spent this year playing a virtuoso second fiddle to Misiorowski. Maybe that means he won’t be in Philadelphia in a month, but he should be. — Levi Weaver
Record: 39-26
Last Power Ranking: 3
The case for: LF Cody Bellinger
Aaron Judge is hurt, and so you might assume the Yankees lost their best hope to place an outfielder in the American League starting lineup. But, no, Bellinger has the highest fWAR among all AL outfielders. This should be his first All-Star selection since 2019. And we’re singling out Bellinger in part because we assume that everyone already knows that Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler belong on the AL roster. In fact, those two probably should be the starters at first base and on the mound. Max Fried is also in the mix for a roster spot, and don’t sleep on Jazz Chisholm Jr. making it. Chisholm hasn’t been great this year, but the second-base field is pretty weak in the AL, and Chisholm is top-two in fWAR at the position there. — Jennings
Record: 35-32
Last Power Ranking: 6
The case for: SP Emerson Hancock
It wasn’t that long ago that the Mariners were in the pitching-development business, making smart trades for young pitchers and getting All-Star value out of the draft, from the first round to the sixth. And while this was going on, the pitcher with the highest pedigree — Hancock, the sixth-overall selection in 2020 — was looking like a Quad-A starting pitcher or a future middle reliever. He just couldn’t get over the hump.
Here he is on the other side, and, goodness, is it much sunnier over here. The Mariners have several candidates, but Hancock is pitching like the first-round talent he always was. He could still end up having the best career out of any of the Mariners’ starting pitchers. — Brisbee
Record: 38-25
Last Power Ranking: 5
The case for: SP Nick Martinez
The Rays have the second-best rotation ERA in the American League, which should be rewarded, but the trio of Martinez, Shane McClanahan and Drew Rasmussen have fairly similar resumes. All three are in the top 10 in ERA. Martinez has the lowest fWAR of the bunch but by far the highest bWAR, but beyond that, he’s just a fun All-Star possibility. He turns 36 in August and wasn’t a particularly good big-league starter until his mid-30s. That’s a fun story from a rotation that deserves to be represented. Also worth noting: Yandy Díaz is making a run at another batting title and could be the AL’s backup DH behind Yordan Alvarez. Two All-Star DHs whose first names start with a Y? Surely that hasn’t happened very often. — Jennings
Record: 34-32
Last Power Ranking: 8
The case for: 2B Brandon Lowe
I wanted to go with starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft here, since his numbers have technically been a bit better than Paul Skenes this season, and it would be really pedantic to argue that he should be an All-Star and Skenes should not.
But since I don’t actually believe that (star power still counts for something), I’ll make the case that Lowe should make his second consecutive All-Star Game. The upgrade at second base this year — Lowe had 15 home runs and an .858 OPS going into last night’s game — has been one of the handful of upgrades that really solidified Pittsburgh’s lineup.
One problem: As an NL second baseman, Lowe is up against Brice Turang (Milwaukee), JJ Wetherholt (St. Louis), Xavier Edwards (Miami) and Luis Arraez (San Francisco).
Maybe I should have stuck with Ashcraft. — Weaver
Record: 37-31
Last Power Ranking: 9
The case for: RP Cade Smith
José Ramírez is a given. But Smith has been nails in the closer role in Cleveland, leading the majors with 21 saves and posting a 43/5 K/BB rate in 23 2/3 innings. Making it particularly meaningful for the Guardians is the fact that he’s doing it while their erstwhile closer Emmanuel Clase is waiting to find out his fate in a pitch-fixing scandal.
The challenge: It’s difficult to make it to the All-Star Game as a reliever. But that didn’t stop Clase, who made the team from 2022-24. Aroldis Chapman will almost certainly take one reliever spot, and Louis Varland should get another.
Smith ranks second among AL relievers with 1.5 fWAR (behind Varland’s 1.6). Don’t let his 2.84 ERA fool you — since May 1, it’s 1.84, and his FIP is an absurd -0.24. — Weaver
Record: 34-32
Last Power Ranking: 7
The case for: 1B Michael Busch
I wanted to say Ian Happ here, but it’s really difficult to get two outfielders from the same team onto one All-Star roster, and Pete Crow-Armstrong is by far the more likely selection. So I decided to see which Cubs have been the most productive since May 1. Who’s been killing it while the vibes are bad? Who’s going to be the guy who helps pull them out of the malaise?
And that’s how I landed on Busch. After a dismal start (.576 OPS in March/April), his .924 OPS since May 1 is second best among NL first basemen, behind only Jake Bauers in Milwaukee.
The slow start might be enough to doom his All-Star chances. And, yeah, the obvious Cubs pick is PCA. But Busch is worth a second look, if injuries open up a roster spot or two (and for that matter, so is Happ). — Weaver
Record: 36-30
Last Power Ranking: 15
The case for: LF Brandon Marsh
The players will vote for Cristopher Sánchez. They can’t hit him, so they might as well send him to the All-Star Game. They’re probably going to send Kyle Schwarber as well. The major-league leader in home runs will be the backup DH in the National League. So, who else from the Phillies? Would you believe Marsh came through the weekend with the highest batting average in the majors? His wRC+ is better than teammate Bryce Harper’s (and fifth-best among NL outfielders). Very little about the Phillies’ lineup has gone as planned, but Marsh has helped keep them afloat with a year that could be worth his first All-Star selection. — Jennings
Record: 34-31
Last Power Ranking: 12
The case for: multiple All-Stars for the first time since 2022
The rules are that each team must have at least one representative. The last time the White Sox had more than the bare minimum, it was Tim Anderson and Liam Hendriks in 2022.
This year, you could make the case for quite a few. Munetaki Murakami led the majors in home runs before hitting the IL. Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas are budding stars, and Sam Antonacci is growing into his sea legs.
But here’s an interesting fact: None of those players even led the team in bWAR. That would be starting pitcher Davis Martin. His stats were more impressive (1.61 ERA?!) before allowing four, one and six runs in his last three starts, but going 8-2 with a 2.61 ERA through June 9 is still impressive.
The White Sox are one of just five AL teams with a winning record. They’ve been through a lot recently. They deserve a handful of representatives in Philadelphia. — Weaver
Record: 32-33
Last Power Ranking: 14
The case for: 3B Josh Jung
Jacob deGrom is a bigger name, and it’s not like there aren’t other deserving third base candidates (see: Junior Caminero with the Rays, Miguel Vargas with the White Sox, and let’s not forget José Ramírez in Cleveland).
But Jung has finally broken out in a big way, hitting .313/.368/.487 (.855 OPS) for a Rangers team that has desperately needed anyone to step up and hit the ball. So maybe this entry should be saved for “Team MVP” week, but after years of freak injuries and struggles, it would be cool to see Jung rewarded for finally having the season the Rangers have been hoping for.
Honorable mention: Ezequiel Durán, who has been dubbed “The Solution” for his versatility. His production at shortstop while Corey Seager was injured may have saved the Rangers’ season. — Weaver
Record: 35-28
Last Power Ranking: 13
The case for: OF Jordan Walker
Last season, 23-year-old Jordan Walker had a .584 OPS in 386 plate appearances. Over 154 PA last August and September, he hit .191/.260/.277, with 12 walks and 49 strikeouts. That’s two full months of an everyday player banging his head against the wall, wondering if he was going to hit a baseball again. Then the Cardinals gave him a chance to start again this season.
Everyone earns an All-Star appearance, but Walker and the Cardinals have earned this one. It’s a wacky and unpredictable sport, so appreciate the rewards of a resounding show of faith. The Cardinals saw the talent; now they’re enjoying it. — Brisbee
Record: 34-31
Last Power Ranking: 11
The case for: OF Corbin Carroll
The slow start from 2024 slowed down the hype train a little bit, but Corbin Carroll is a star’s star, leading the league in triples for a fourth consecutive season, pounding a bunch of home runs and zipping around the field like a water bug. Oh, and he’s still just 25 years old, the same age that some prospects get their first starting gig.
Aesthetically speaking, this is outstanding news for those of us who always have room for a 1970s-sized superstar. Andrew McCutchen wore the title brilliantly for a decade, and now it’s time for another. Baseball is always better when at least a few of the best players look more like a tennis player than a tight end. Carroll should be one of those guys for the next decade, at least. — Brisbee
Record: 32-35
Last Power Ranking: 16
The case for: RP Louis Varland
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hasn’t been all that good this year, and the first base is deep in the American League, so Vlad’s streak of five straight All-Star selections should be in jeopardy. Ernie Clement could represent the Blue Jays (the field at second base is thin), and both Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease are definitely in the mix among AL starting pitchers, but Varland is worth highlighting. He has the highest fWAR and most Win Probability Added of any big-league reliever — better, even, than Mason Miller — which makes for a pretty compelling case. — Jennings
Record: 34-31
Last Power Ranking: 10
The case for: RP Mason Miller
Have you taken a look at the Padres’ Baseball-Reference page lately? The lineup is grim. Only one player with more than 200 plate appearances has an OPS+ better than the league average, and everyone else is in the red.
It has to be a pitcher, then, which leaves only one choice, and it’s probably the easiest of this entire exercise. Even in an era of triple-digit-throwing freaks, Miller remains the freakiest of them all. He’s allowed three runs, and it’s possible he might allow a fourth by the All-Star Game. Even if he does, he’ll take a rightful spot as the closer among All-Star closers, and nobody will blink. He’s that good. — Brisbee
Record: 34-33
Last Power Ranking: 17
The case for: OF James Wood
First thought, best thought. CJ Abrams has been the best offensive shortstop in baseball, but the centerpiece of the Nationals’ shockingly good offense is their right fielder. Wood should be an obvious choice — he came through the weekend ranked fifth in the majors in wRC+, and tied for the second-most home runs in the National League — but on a ballot deep in big-name outfielders, are voters going to know to automatically check the name of a guy who plays for the Nats? They should. Wood not only belongs on the roster, but he should also be in the NL starting lineup. — Jennings
Record: 31-35
Last Power Ranking: 25
The case for: SS Otto Lopez
There’s also a compelling case for second baseman Xavier Edwards, but that one’s more of a toss-up. FanGraphs has Brice Turang, JJ Wetherholt, Edwards, Luis Arraez and Brandon Lowe between 2.7 and 2.3 fWAR. It’s a real take-your-pick race among NL second basemen. At shortstop, though, is a more confined competition between Lopez, Elly De La Cruz and CJ Abrams. Lopez is undoubtedly the least famous of the trio, but he leads the pack in bWAR and he’s in between De La Cruz and Abrams in fWAR. If narrative gets to be the tiebreaker, Lopez was designated for assignment twice in 2024, so an All-Star nod would be a pretty satisfying peak to a career arc that few people saw coming. And he’s still just 27, so there’s time to be more than a one-hit wonder. — Jennings
Record: 29-36
Last Power Ranking: 21
The case for: LF Juan Soto
This isn’t exactly a deep cut, but who else could represent the Mets? Clay Holmes has a 2.39 ERA! (He also has a broken fibula.) Carson Benge has been on a tear! (But a rough first month is still dragging down his numbers.) Everyone likes Francisco Lindor! (But he’s played just 24 games.) So, it’s probably Soto. Otherwise, Luke Weaver has been pretty good in the bullpen, and Nolan McLean has been excellent outside of two rough outings — maybe he’ll be back in the mix by the time rosters and replacements are announced — but for now, Soto’s the most obvious Mets All-Star even after missing some time with a calf strain. — Jennings
Record: 31-35
Last Power Ranking: 20
The case for: 1B Nick Kurtz
This is a you-pick-’em between Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz, as neither of them is a flash in the pan, and both of them are having excellent seasons. Langeliers cooled off after his otherworldly start, but he still has excellent numbers for any position, much less catcher. At the same time, Kurtz didn’t have the best start concerning home runs, but his plate discipline was still amazing and allowed the dingers to catch up.
So how do you like your All-Star Game histories? Do you prefer younger players with Hall-of-Fame talent to make it a dozen times over their careers, or do you want the Hall-of-Very-Good talent to be rewarded when they’re deserving? There isn’t a wrong answer, but I’m the sicko who looks at Henry Aaron’s 25 All-Star appearances and whistles appreciatively, so it’s Kurtz in a tiebreaker. — Brisbee
Record: 31-36
Last Power Ranking: 23
The case for: C Adley Rutschman
Here’s the problem. If it’s not Rutschman representing the Orioles, then who is it? Rico Garcia out of the bullpen? Gunnar Henderson based on muscle memory? Rutschman is having a resurgent season that feels All-Star worthy, but Dillon Dingler and Shea Langeliers are similarly strong options among American League catchers, and even though he doesn’t deserve it, we can’t dismiss the possibility of Cal Raleigh winning the fan vote. (Do fans want to see Dingler, or do they want the guy who hit 60 homers last year?) Rutschman is the best Orioles’ representative, and three catchers isn’t unusual. — Jennings
Record: 27-37
Last Power Ranking: 19
The case for: CF Ceddanne Rafaela
The Red Sox continue to underperform, and the easiest way to represent them at the All-Star Game is to send closer Aroldis Chapman (one run with 26 strikeouts through 19 2/3 innings) or starter Ranger Suárez (3.18 ERA), but Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras are also having All-Star-type seasons. Contreras is probably having the best season of that bunch, but he’s in a ridiculously crowded field at first base (Ben Rice, Nick Kurtz, Munetaka Murakami and the distinct possibility of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. winning the fan voting). So, Rafaela might be the best hope for the Red Sox to send a hitter. He’s been the best defensive outfielder in the American League, and only four healthy AL outfielders have a better fWAR. — Jennings
Record: 31-37
Last Power Ranking: 22
The case for: DH Yordan Alvarez
Good news: Alvarez is back to looking like Alvarez. At this time last season, he was on the IL with a .646 OPS, having looked entirely broken for the first two months. And 28-year-old hitters simply shouldn’t go poof like that. It affects the collective sanity of baseball fans everywhere when that sort of thing happens. Maybe it’ll happen to your young superstar in his prime next.
Relax, all, Alvarez is fine. He’s still probably the best left-handed hitter in the league, and with Aaron Judge on the shelf for a bit, that puts him in contention for the best hitter in the AL. He’s a worthy candidate every season, but this one feels a little more special than most. — Brisbee
Record: 30-37
Last Power Ranking: 24
The case for: OF Byron Buxton
Starting pitcher Joe Ryan has been the Twins’ most deserving player this season, but having him as the Twins’ lone representative can be tricky. What if their rotation lines up wrong and he can’t pitch in the game? So we’re going with Buxton — partially because there really aren’t any other slam-dunk candidates.
Ten years ago, I would have guessed Buxton would have been an All-Star at least eight or nine times by now. Thanks to injuries, it has only been twice: 2022 and 2025. I’m all for getting him to as many more of them as we can justify. — Weaver
Record: 27-39
Last Power Ranking: 26
The case for: C Dillon Dingler
Kevin McGonigle should be the second shortstop, behind Bobbby Witt, Jr. Tarik Skubal might make it on name recognition if he can return quickly enough, and Riley Greene is deserving of a nod in the outfield. But I don’t think a team with this record deserves four All-Stars.
So let’s set Skubal and Greene aside for a moment, because Dingler leads all AL catchers with 2.5 fWAR, and ranks third on the Tigers (2.1 bWAR, behind McGonigle and the injured Casey Mize).
There aren’t that many other deserving AL catchers, to be honest. Shea Langeliers (A’s) is one. Adley Rutschman has hit really well in Baltimore. Ryan Jeffers (Twins) got off to a great start but has been on the IL since mid-May. But Dingler has outperformed them all. He should be the starter. — Weaver
Record: 31-34
Last Power Ranking: 18
The case for: SP Chase Burns
I’ll take this one a step further: I don’t think Burns is getting enough attention in the conversation about the NL Cy Young award.
Don’t get me wrong: I think Jacob Misiorowski and Cristopher Sánchez are tier 1A, and Shohei Ohtani is in tier 1B all by himself. But juuuuust behind them, I’d put Kyle Harrison (Milwaukee) and Burns, who is 7-1 with a 2.05 ERA and a 0.953 WHIP with 81 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings. When you look at the bWAR by pitchers leaderboard, Burns ranks second behind Sánchez, at 3.4 — ahead, even, of Misiorowski (3.3).
So the best case I can make for an All-Star berth is to argue for something higher: He deserves Cy Young votes this year. — Weaver
Record: 27-40
Last Power Ranking: 27
The case for: 2B Luis Arraez
Before this season, Arraez was known as a one-tool player, but it was enough of a tool to make him exciting. He was a high-average player in the best seasons, a victim of the BABIPdook in the down seasons, and nothing more. A nice player to have.
He’s hitting .323 as of this writing, so that part checks out. But if you haven’t noticed already, check out what Arraez is doing on defense at second base. He’s not just holding his own: He’s thriving. Baseball Savant has him as one of the top defensive players in baseball, and I’ve watched almost every play he’s made this season with my own eyes. It’s not a mirage. He’s been an exceptional fielder. There’s only one place for a two-tool player like this when the two tools are this much fun. — Brisbee
Record: 27-39
Last Power Ranking: 29
The case for: SS Bobby Witt Jr., I guess?
I’ve really tried to pick players who aren’t the obvious choice for this exercise. If we’re making a case for a player, it means that they’re not already a shoo-in, right? But the case for Witt is that there really isn’t anyone else worth making a case for right now.
Maikel García has been the team’s second-most valuable player, but third base is pretty stacked in the AL, and García has been just pretty good. Michael Wacha, maybe? Are we suggesting that a 3.44 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 26 walks over 81 innings is All-Star worthy? I’m not.
Even Salvador Pérez has an OPS under .600 this year. Sorry to be boring and predictable, but I can’t find any other limb quite sturdy enough to support an argument. — Weaver
Record: 25-42
Last Power Ranking: 28
The case for: SP José Soriano
Soriano leads the league in starts and innings pitched, and he’s been an absolute workhorse for the Angels. On the other hand, his ERA on April 28 was 0.24, and since then, he’s gone 2-4 with a 5.28 ERA in eight starts, which isn’t exactly the performance of someone trending toward the All-Star Game. It’s the next month that will give us that answer.
Of course, the other best candidate has a similar story. Mike Trout had a cool 1.000 OPS on the nose after the game on May 5, with his renaissance season progressing nicely. Since then: .183/.336/.317 in 128 PA. It’s not looking great lately.
It’s a matter of preference, then: Do you prefer first-timers or legends? I’ll take the legend, personally, but everyone’s All-Star tastes are a little different. — Brisbee
Record: 24-42
Last Power Ranking: 30
The case for: SP Tomoyuki Sagano
I grew up in the 1990s, when a pitching coach could hit .300/.400/.500 (81 OPS+) for the Rockies, so my eyes are always drawn to the pitchers when looking for All-Star selections. Is there a park-adjusted bone we can throw a pitcher with one of the most thankless jobs in sports?
There is. Hunter Goodman will probably make his second All-Star team, as it’s becoming clear that he might be a perennial selection for as long as his catcher’s body holds up, but 36-year-old Sugano is thriving in Coors Field with nothing but derring-do and a fastball in the low-90s. The ERA doesn’t match the FIP, so there’s luck at play, but if he keeps it up, throw him that bone. Thanks for pitching well at Coors every so often. Anyone who does that is an All-Star in my book. — Brisbee
